Cistern-cleaner



(N0 Mode l.)

A. B. HILL. GISTERN CLEANER.

Patented Mar. 17, 18-91.

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NITED STATES ATENT MICE.

ALFRED B. HILL, OF PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, XVISCONSIN.

CISTERN-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,340, dated March. 17, 1891. Application filed November 26, 1890. Serial No. 372,664. (No model.)

Ta call whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Prairie du Chien, in the county of Orawford and State of \Visconsim have invented a new and useful Cistern-Cleaner, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in cistern-cleaners.

The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of cisterii-cleaners and enable the same to be operated from above and prevent inj ury to the bottom of a cistern by obviating the necessity of operating the device by contact with the bottom of the cistern.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the acoompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cistern-cleaner embodying the in vention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a reverse plan View.

Referring to the acoompanying drawings, 1 designates a conical Vessel having a fixed top 2 and a hinged bottom 3. The top 2 is provided with a central socket 4, in which is secured one end of a pole or handle 5, that is supported by braces 6, having their lower ends rigidly secured to the sides of the vessel and their upper ends perforated and secured to the pole or handle 5.

The bottom 3 is connected with the Vessel by a hinge 7, which is arranged at one side, and at a diametrically-opposite point the bottom is secured by a hasp 8, which has one end hinged to the bottom and the other end engaging a shoulder-ed projection or keeper 9, and the said hasp is adapted to be disengaged from the keeper to enable the contents of the Vessel to be emptied after withdrawal from the cistern. The hinged bottom is provided with a central and approximately rectangular opening lO, having beveled edges, and above the opening 10 is arranged an upward-opening valve 11, which permits the entrance of water and sediment to the Vessel, and the said valve is held above the bottom of a cistern, when the cleaner is lowered therein by feet 12, secured to the bottom, and the latter is strengthened by a metal ring 13, arranged at the outer end of the bottom and secured to the lower face thereof.

The cleaner is lowered to the bottom of a cistern and the air contained within it is allowed to escape through avalve-seat 14, which is normally closed bya spring-actuated valve 15. The escape of the air through the valve 15 causes Water to rush into the Vessel through the upward-opening valve 11 of the hinged bottom and carry with it the sediment and dirt at the bottom of the cistern. By this means a cistern can be readily and rapidly oleaned. The valve 15 consists of a bar pivoted intermediate its ends between perforated ears 16 of the top by a pin 17, and one end ot' the bar is arranged above the valve-seat 14; and adapted to close the same, and is provided with an eye 18, to which is attached an operating cord or wire 19, and the other end of the bar is engaged by a spring 20, secured to the top of the Vessel and having its free end bearing against the bar. The operating-wire 19 is arranged in guide eyes or rings 21 of the pole or handle 5, and is adapted to raise the bar against the action of the spring to open the valve when the cleaner is at the bottom of a cistern.

It will readily be seen that the cisterncleaner is simple and comparatively iueXpensive in construction, and is adapted to be operated to open the escape-valve without contacting with the bottom of a cistern and thereby avoids injuring the latter.

When the valve is open at the bottom of the cistern, the air comes up through the water, renovates and purifies the water in the cistern, and removes all bad odor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A cistern-cleaner comprising a Vessel having a fixed top and a hinged bottom provided with an inwardly-opening valve, the spring-actuated escape-valve, the handle, and the operating-wire extending alongthe handle and connected with a spring-actuated escapevalve, substantially as described.

2. A cistern-cleaner comprising the Vessel having a fixed top provided with a socket and a hinged bottom provided with an inwardlyopening valve, the handle secured in the In testimony that I claim the foregoing as socket, the valve-seat 14, the valve-bar pivmy own I have hereto affixed my signature in IO oted intermediate its ends and having one end presence of two witnesses. closing the valve-seat and provided with an 5 eye, the spring engaging the other end of the ALFRED HILL' valvedoar, and the operating-wire attached to W'itnesses: the eye of the valve-bar and extending along T. B. W ARD, the handle, substantially as described. JOHN W. RATHBURN. 

